by
Lee Mehr
, posted 46 minutes ago / 166 Views
Reviewer’s Note: My experience is based on Versions 1.1 and 1.2 of the game.
You’ve heard this song and dance before: a humble indie team wanted to rally bannermen (and women) to crowdfund its new medieval RPG. “Dungeons & No Dragons” was the tagline for Kingdom Come: Deliverance at the time. Given how often that setting is paired with fantasy, the proposition was certainly intriguing. Fast-forward past the original’s success, and Embracer Group’s eventual acquisition of Warhorse Studios, Deliverance II arrives roughly seven years later with a promise that’s apropos to its setting: iteration on the castle that’s already been erected. The foundation remains solid, but could there be any newly-exposed weaknesses?
After an in medias res opening of a castle siege with another character, the story then gallops uninterrupted from the original’s epilogue. A civil war continues to engulf more of 15th-century Bohemia with each passing day, but there’s a chance for peace. Our returning protagonist, Henry of Skalitz, is part of an entourage for Sir Hans Capon, who’s carrying an important letter for an enemy lord: Otto von Bergow. Following a surprise ambush by bandits, whereby only Henry and Hans narrowly escape death, they’re essentially set back to zero: two random strangers demanding an audience with a lord now with no horses, no letter, and no insignias. In Henry’s case, not only have you been stripped of clothes, but also any previously-established RPG stats. Now, you’re forced to find another way to get von Bergow’s attention.
It’s a sensation familiar to all RPG veterans: a stranger in a strange land scrounging for more coin, better gear, and so on. The variety of means to achieve that remain impressively expansive. After the protracted “disguised tutorial” stretch of the first act, establishing its role-playing systems and Henry’s backstory, the open lands surrounding Trotsky Castle are essentially your oyster. From honest work doing menial labor to un-Christian acts like pick-pocketing or gambling on dice games, there are opportunities to better understand the wider world that coincide with the main quest. However you go about modeling ‘your Henry’ is going to create ripple effects with your reputation; and since every hamlet or village is unique, you could be a thieving bastard in one place and a saintly paragon in the next. These actions in turn will result in disparate responses to your presence: an influence on the cost of goods, an general attitude shift, and more.
Of course, this and more is all to be expected for Kingdom Come fans. From the beginning, Warhorse has strived to capture several distinct pillars: grounded first-person combat, a world historically accurate to the epoch (both in look and culture), a plethora of traditional RPG systems with an emphasis on tactility, and an authentic world simulation filled with people appropriately responding to your actions. These could be broken down into more sub-categories, but the gist is the same: a role-playing foundation that harkens back to the likes of Ultima and early Elder Scrolls titles, with the advantages of modern-day technology. Even before interfacing with any of its multitudinous mechanics, a quick glance at Henry’s skill tree – Persuade, Alchemy, Scholarship, Stealth, Survival, Horsemanship, and so on – reveals just how much stuff there is to chew on.
Even though fans would – once again – expect another vast Bohemian landscape to explore, it’s hard to overstate the vastitude of these two new regions. While the original was doing its damnedest to capture the Czech expanse, the deliberate use of forests served as a means to limit what could be rendered at a distance in real-time. Understandable sacrifices to have a workable game on a base Xbox One and PS4. Fortunately, Warhorse continually reminds you that’s not an issue now while flexing this updated CryEngine. Emphasizing that technology isn’t a means of shallow marketing either; it’s a meaningful creative choice in emphasizing its more austere & naturalistic look compared to that semi-glossy sheen many big-budget games tend to render. These upgrades, while seemingly shallow on the surface, lead to Deliverance II having one of the most enticing and immersive nature simulations yet seen. The series’ devotion to realism – visually, mechanically, and so on – fuses perfectly with its visual and audio design.
Past simply having a great and varied environment to explore, these marshes, plains, and towns are mottled with various quests and activities. The first big eye-opener about this region’s scope comes from the main quest giving you two optional routes in attending an important wedding, both set on different ends of the map. As many RPGs are wont to do, there are a plethora of side activities that get you to invest more in this world, many of which vary in importance and extent. Take the aforementioned wedding, for example: roughly half (or more) of the named NPCs in attendance are people you could’ve met beforehand in a side quest or along the golden path, be it after pranking some local farmer or saving someone and his horse from nearby bandits. The ways in which so many side characters feel interconnected with the grander tale is up there with the likes of Red Dead Redemption II.
That sense of interconnectedness bleeds over into its abundance of overlapping systems. Although I try to avoid doing this, making a broad checklist encapsulates what I’m talking about:
- Sharpening your sword, axe, etc. at a whetstone and having to angle it correctly (sparks being a good sign while smoke signals that you’re damaging it).
- NPCs will react to how dirty or unkempt you look.
- On top of a (albeit inconsistent) sound meter, stealth also has a ‘stench meter’ of sorts.
- Wearing clothing or accessories in front of the person you’ve just stolen them from will be noticed and bring potentially severe consequence.
- It’s harder to sell knowingly stolen items (at least until the heat dies down).
- Different NPCs have specific interests in various items you drop.
- Smithies, tailors, merchants, and so on all have different tastes for what they’ll purchase from you.
- Remaining in a private area too long will be considered trespassing.
- Your actions can be considered so severe that you can be permanently branded.
I could drone on and on (perhaps I already have), but the point is this: part of Deliverance II’s appeal comes from begging you to experiment with these dynamic systems; hell, many of the game’s own loading screens deliberately spell out some examples I didn’t list above.
All of these layered mechanics and excess demands can be overwhelming at first. There’s a toll to be paid in order to pass. Such fixation on realism and tactility will – understandably – put some people off entirely. But while your labor and toil eventually bears fruit, the road to seeing that could’ve been smoother. The aforementioned opening, both in its slow-rolling deluge of mechanical intros and new characters, gives the main quest away. Considering the amount of extra time and money Warhorse can now muster, it’s not surprising to see that reflected in… cinematic indulgences. To be clear: these densely-jumbled plotlines do naturally require a greater level of expansion. The issue is more about intention and execution. The question to Warhorse is this: did you pensively weigh the player’s time alongside the story you wish to tell? When you consider how often menial bitchwork, belabored cutscene, and slower walking segments are utilized, sometimes that answer is a resounding “no” on the golden path (and some side quests too).
And though the sheer quantity of mechanics succeeds in wholly immersing you in this world, it’s not surprising that the quality of them isn’t consistent. For starters, melee combat loses its edge over time. The kinesthetic sensation between different weapons (swords, clubs, polearms, etc.) feels tangible and the sound design is impressive, but the sense of spacing and hit detection feels inconsistent. Surprise first strikes will sometimes clip through an enemy, as though you weren’t “allowed” to enter combat with them yet. It’s also confusing why swords are given such preferential treatment with one of Henry’s best moves (Master Strike) currently being exclusive to them. At its best, melee can feel like a janky recreation of Rob Roy or other Hollywood duels; but at its worst, you’re in loggerheads with the game’s systems, questioning why a block didn’t register or why the UI de-selected your targeted opponent.
Other complaints could be expanded to talk about the extra difficulty in lockpicking with a controller (versus mouse/keyboard) or the wonky AI detection in stealth, but the overarching point is this: no one game can be the best at everything. Hell, just thinking of Warhorse juggling so many templates within a relatively-polished open world is a feat unto itself. Yet there’s still an odd tension with how they’re awkwardly implemented through the quest design quite often; it can be an incongruous mixture while still being engaging in spite of that dilemma.
Deliverance II’s storytelling dawdles a frustrating line between triumphal, sincere, overwritten, and tasteless – sometimes at different spectrums within minutes of each other. Granted, any historical fiction writer has to manage a precarious balance between believable medieval characters that also feel engaging for a modern audience; that said, Writer/Director Daniel Vávra & co.’s script leans too far into its vulgarities, modernizations, and repetitions, occasionally detracting from otherwise well-composed scenes. With its long-form structure (50+ hours for the main quest), the closest comparison is like imagining a story vacillating between the quality of Game of Thrones Season 1 and Season 6. Admittedly, that still means, at its worst, there are emotionally-charged and gripping moments played out by an august retinue of great actors in spite of being hampered by stupid creative decisions and cringe-inducing dialogue. The ways in which Henry and his crew chart out their plans will get unnecessarily bloated and nonsensical.
These detractions are far too common for their own good, but there’s a reason I also emphasized early Game of Thrones. Although a three-hour tutorial (which only covers the basics) is bound to make the pacing feel lumpy, organizing the first half into such a dense knot of espionage and double-crosses perfectly encapsulates warfare of that time. When you consider how often RPGs – even medieval-era fantasies – model their twists and turns, Deliverance II feels more nuanced by trying to strictly keep itself within the context of its setting. The dynamics of nobility, the consequences of allegiances, the importance of honor, and so on are all interrogated between both Henry’s allies and enemies alike. Admittedly, the road to exploring these characters could’ve been far less bumpy, but it’s ultimately worth taking.
It doesn’t always appreciate the context of its setting, however. It’s perhaps best to preface this segment with a “Romance/Culture War SPOILER” warning (if you will). While creative decisions like exploring anti-Semitism (a term which didn’t exist back then) and Islam have garnered backlash, perhaps the biggest surprise are Henry’s optional romances now including other men. Some radioactive fallout is – sadly – to be expected, but it’s also impossible to ignore the whiplash given both Hans and Henry’s prior development; plus, there’s a potential one-night stand with another man who looks several years older than Henry – who’s technically a legal minor by modern standards. Past that, the inclusion is perplexing considering there’s an unstated gay couple who understand these consequences for this time period, which somehow doesn’t apply to Henry. There’s also a very rare ‘romantic’ sub-plot with a woman who can… let’s just say do something repugnant to Henry and the game doesn’t bother to properly address it. I’m sounding like a broken record by reusing Game of Thrones as a comparison, but it’s reminiscent of that series’ more immature sex scenes.
In keeping with this world, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is like swearing fealty to an inconsistent liege-lord. On the one hand, you’re absolutely proud to be a bannerman for what this series’ foundation represents – its fusion of realism with game mechanics, the simulative world, and its role-playing depth; on the other hand, you see its mismanaged storytelling and design foibles disrupt those spectacular highs. Nevertheless, Warhorse Studios has made a behemoth of a game that would’ve made a less-experienced or less-talented team fold under pressure. That much is certain. And though I can’t necessarily affix this momentous sequel as a new “gold standard” of the genre, it nonetheless earns your loyalty.
Contractor by trade and writer by hobby, Lee’s obnoxious criticisms have found a way to be featured across several gaming sites: N4G, VGChartz, Gaming Nexus, DarkStation, and TechRaptor! He started gaming in the mid-90s and has had the privilege in playing many games across a plethora of platforms. Reader warning: each click given to his articles only helps to inflate his Texas-sized ego. Proceed with caution.
This review is based on a digital copy of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Gold Edition for the XS, provided by the publisher.
